Air disinfectant system and method

Abstract

A HVAC air treatment (HAT) system/method for use in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems that incorporates an air flow sensor (AFS), timer control unit (TCU), ultraviolet lamp(s) (UVL), lamp feedback indicator (LFI), liquid distribution atomizer (LDA), leak exhaust fan (LEF), and digital control processor (DCP) is disclosed. The AFS indicates detection of air flow within the HVAC ducts (HVD) to the DCP and may wirelessly communicate with the DCP. The DCP interrogates the TCU to determine when HAT is to occur if HVD air flow is detected and activates the UVL to disinfect air within the HVD. The LFI provides feedback to the DCP to verify that the UVL is operational. The UVL may be positioned at the fresh air intake (FAI), air intake plenum (AIP), evaporator/heat exchanger (HEX), and/or air exhaust plenum (AEP) and may incorporate an adjustable magnetic frame (AMF) allowing UVL retrofit installation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A HVAC air treatment (HAT) system (ATS) for use in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) environment (HVE), said ATS comprising:
 (a) air flow sensor (AFS); 
 (b) timer control unit (TCU); 
 (c) ultraviolet lamp (UVL); 
 (d) lamp feedback indicator (LFI); 
 (e) digital control processor (DCP); and 
 (f) alarm status indicator (ASI); 
 wherein: 
 said TCU comprises a real-time clock (RTC) and non-volatile random access memory (NVR); 
 said LFI comprises an ultraviolet LED detector (ULD) electrically coupled to a UV-LED amplifier/detector (UAD); 
 said ULD comprises a semiconductor LED device configured in reverse emission mode to generate an output signal in the presence of UV radiation; 
 said HVE comprises a HVAC evaporator/heat exchanger (HEX); 
 said HEX comprises an air intake mechanically coupled to an air intake plenum (AIP); 
 said HEX comprises an air exhaust mechanically coupled to an air exhaust plenum (AEP); 
 said AIP and said AEP circulate air flow within ducts (HVD) within said HVE; 
 said AFS indicates detection of air flow within said HVD to said DCP; 
 said AFS is inductively powered by magnetic flux induced from a power connection to a fan motor located within said HVD; 
 said DCP interrogates said TCU to determine when HAT is to occur if HVD air flow is detected and activates said UVL to disinfect air within the HVD when said TCU indicates said UVL should be activated; 
 said LFI monitors operation of said UVL to determine if said UVL is operating properly and provides feedback to said DCP to verify the operational status of said UVL; and 
 said UVL incorporates an HVD-attached adjustable magnetic frame (AMF) allowing UVL retrofit installation without mechanical modifications to the HVD. 
 
     
     
       2. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said AFS communicates wirelessly with said DCP. 
     
     
       3. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said TCU comprises a temperature/humidity/pressure sensor (THP). 
     
     
       4. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said TCU is configured to indicate activation of said UVL for a specific time period after said AFS has indicated air flow in said HVD. 
     
     
       5. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said UVL is positioned at said AIP. 
     
     
       6. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said UVL is positioned at said HEX. 
     
     
       7. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said UVL is positioned at said AEP. 
     
     
       8. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said UVL comprises multiple ultraviolet lamps with one of said UVL positioned at said AIP and another of said UVL positioned at said AEP. 
     
     
       9. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said UVL comprises multiple ultraviolet lamps with one of said UVL positioned at said AIP and another of said UVL positioned at said HEX. 
     
     
       10. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said UVL comprises multiple ultraviolet lamps with one of said UVL positioned at said HEX and another of said UVL positioned at said AEP. 
     
     
       11. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said UVL comprises multiple ultraviolet lamps with said ultraviolet lamps being individually positioned at said AIP, at said HEX, and at said AEP. 
     
     
       12. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said TCU is configured to record the time period in which said UVL is active. 
     
     
       13. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said TCU is configured to record the number of ON-OFF cycles in which said UVL is active. 
     
     
       14. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said TCU is configured to store a predefined schedule on which said UVL is to be activated. 
     
     
       15. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said TCU is configured to store predefined environmental conditions on which said UVL is to be activated. 
     
     
       16. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said DCP is configured to activate said UVL for a period of time before air flow through said HEX is initiated. 
     
     
       17. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said DCP is configured to activate said UVL for a period of time after air flow through said HEX is terminated. 
     
     
       18. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said DCP is configured to activate said ASI if said UVL has been activated and said LFI indicates that said UVL has failed to properly activate. 
     
     
       19. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein said DCP is configured to transmit an indication of said AFS and said LFI via a wireless communication interface (WCI) to a mobile user device (MUD). 
     
     
       20. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein:
 said HAT further comprises a liquid distribution atomizer (LDA) configured to atomize an anti-viral disinfectant liquid within said HVD; and 
 said DCP is configured to activate said LDA in response to said AFS or said TCU. 
 
     
     
       21. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein:
 said HAT further comprises a liquid distribution atomizer (LDA) configured to atomize an anti-bacterial disinfectant liquid within said HVD; and 
 said DCP is configured to activate said LDA in response to said AFS or said TCU. 
 
     
     
       22. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein:
 said HAT further comprises a liquid distribution atomizer (LDA) configured to atomize an anti-fungal disinfectant liquid within said HVD; and 
 said DCP is configured to activate said LDA in response to said AFS or said TCU. 
 
     
     
       23. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein:
 said HAT further comprises a leak exhaust fan (LEF) configured to remove refrigerant the HVD; and 
 said DCP is configured to activate said LEF on detection of a refrigerant leak within the HVD. 
 
     
     
       24. The HVAC air treatment system of  claim 1  wherein:
 said HAT further comprises a leak exhaust fan (LEF) configured to transport leaking refrigerant from the HVD to an emergency exhaust plenum (EEP); and 
 said DCP is configured to activate said LEF on detection of a refrigerant leak within the HVD. 
 
     
     
       25. A HVAC air treatment (HAT) method (ATM) operating on a HVAC air treatment system (ATS) for use in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) environment (HVE), said ATS comprising:
 (a) air flow sensor (AFS); 
 (b) timer control unit (TCU); 
 (c) ultraviolet lamp (UVL); 
 (d) lamp feedback indicator (LFI); 
 (e) digital control processor (DCP); and 
 (f) alarm status indicator (ASI); 
 wherein: 
 said TCU comprises a real-time clock (RTC) and non-volatile random access memory (NVR); 
 said LFI comprises an ultraviolet LED detector (ULD) electrically coupled to a UV-LED amplifier/detector (UAD); 
 said ULD comprises a semiconductor LED device configured in reverse emission mode to generate an output signal in the presence of UV radiation; 
 said HVE comprises a HVAC evaporator/heat exchanger (HEX); 
 said HEX comprises an air intake mechanically coupled to an air intake plenum (AIP); 
 said HEX comprises an air exhaust mechanically coupled to an air exhaust plenum (AEP); 
 said AIP and said AEP circulate air flow within ducts (HVD) within said HVE; 
 said AFS indicates detection of air flow within said HVD to said DCP; 
 said AFS is inductively powered by magnetic flux induced from a power connection to a fan motor located within said HVD; 
 said DCP interrogates said TCU to determine when HAT is to occur if HVD air flow is detected and activates said UVL to disinfect air within the HVD when said TCU indicates said UVL should be activated; 
 said LFI monitors the operation of said UVL to determine if said UVL is operating properly and provides feedback to said DCP to verify the operational status of said UVL; and 
 said UVL incorporates an HVD-attached adjustable magnetic frame (AMF) allowing UVL retrofit installation without mechanical modifications to the HVD; and 
 wherein said method comprises: 
 (1) reading activation and/or deactivation parameters from said TCU ( 0201 ); 
 (2) reading current status values of said AFS ( 0202 ); 
 (3) applying said AFS status values to an activation/deactivation state machine (TSM) controlled by said data contained in said TCU ( 0203 ); 
 (4) determining if said TSM indicates deactivation of said UVL is required, and if not, proceeding to step (6) ( 0204 ); 
 (5) deactivating said UVL and proceeding to step (1) ( 0205 ); 
 (6) determining if said TSM indicates activation of said UVL is required, and if not, proceeding to step (1) ( 0306 ); 
 (7) activating said UVL ( 0307 ); 
 (8) determining if said LFI indicates that said UVL has been activated, and if so, proceeding to step (1) ( 0308 ); 
 (9) triggering an ASI UVL failure alarm ( 0309 ); and 
 (10) logging said UVL failure to said TCU and proceeding to step (1) ( 0310 ). 
 
     
     
       26. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein said AFS communicates wirelessly with said DCP. 
     
     
       27. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein said TCU comprises a temperature/humidity/pressure sensor (THP). 
     
     
       28. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein said TCU is configured to indicate activation of said UVL for a specific time period after said AFS has indicated air flow in said HVD. 
     
     
       29. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein said UVL is positioned at said AIP. 
     
     
       30. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein said UVL is positioned at said HEX. 
     
     
       31. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein said UVL is positioned at said AEP. 
     
     
       32. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein said UVL comprises multiple ultraviolet lamps with one of said UVL positioned at said AIP and another of said UVL positioned at said AEP. 
     
     
       33. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein said UVL comprises multiple ultraviolet lamps with one of said UVL positioned at said AIP and another of said UVL positioned at said HEX. 
     
     
       34. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein said UVL comprises multiple ultraviolet lamps with one of said UVL positioned at said HEX and another of said UVL positioned at said AEP. 
     
     
       35. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein said UVL comprises multiple ultraviolet lamps with said ultraviolet lamps being individually positioned at said AIP, at said HEX, and at said AEP. 
     
     
       36. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein said TCU is configured to record the time period in which said UVL is active. 
     
     
       37. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein said TCU is configured to record the number of ON-OFF cycles in which said UVL is active. 
     
     
       38. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein said TCU is configured to store a predefined schedule on which said UVL is to be activated. 
     
     
       39. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein said TCU is configured to store predefined environmental conditions on which said UVL is to be activated. 
     
     
       40. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein said DCP is configured to activate said UVL for a period of time before air flow through said HEX is initiated. 
     
     
       41. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein said DCP is configured to activate said UVL for a period of time after air flow through said HEX is terminated. 
     
     
       42. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein said DCP is configured to activate said ASI if said UVL has been activated and said LFI indicates that said UVL has failed to properly activate. 
     
     
       43. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein said DCP is configured to transmit an indication of said AFS and said LFI via a wireless communication interface (WCI) to a mobile user device (MUD). 
     
     
       44. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein:
 said HAT further comprises a liquid distribution atomizer (LDA) configured to atomize an anti-viral disinfectant liquid within said HVD; and 
 said DCP is configured to activate said LDA in response to said AFS or said TCU. 
 
     
     
       45. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein:
 said HAT further comprises a liquid distribution atomizer (LDA) configured to atomize an anti-bacterial disinfectant liquid within said HVD; and 
 said DCP is configured to activate said LDA in response to said AFS or said TCU. 
 
     
     
       46. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein:
 said HAT further comprises a liquid distribution atomizer (LDA) configured to atomize an anti-fungal disinfectant liquid within said HVD; and 
 said DCP is configured to activate said LDA in response to said AFS or said TCU. 
 
     
     
       47. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein:
 said HAT further comprises a leak exhaust fan (LEF) configured to remove refrigerant from the HVD; and 
 said DCP is configured to activate said LEF on detection of a refrigerant leak within the HVD. 
 
     
     
       48. The HVAC air treatment method of  claim 25  wherein:
 said HAT further comprises a leak exhaust fan (LEF) configured to transport leaking refrigerant from the HVD to an emergency exhaust plenum (EEP); and 
 said DCP is configured to activate said LEF on detection of a refrigerant leak within the HVD.